Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to automated currency authentication, counting and sorting apparatus and more particularly to a bill sorter which performs each of those operations in an efficient, versatile and high speed manner utilizing an improved mechanical transport system, multiple scanning devices for authentication and information reading and sophisticated digital signal processing including parallel 32-bit data processing units for increased speed and an 8-bit control circuit that tracks bills as they move through the apparatus, accurately regulates transport motor speed and operates the collection bin gates.
Many businesses such as banks, currency exchanges, retail establishments and the like receive large numbers of paper bills which must be authenticated, counted, sorted and bundled. While these tasks can be done manually, manual handling of the bills is time consuming, labor intensive and may result in inaccurate counts.
Moreover, the human eye is not capable of detecting certain features of the bill paper and/or the ink that are important to the authentication process. For example, the eye cannot detect magnetic particles in the ink. It cannot always see the fluorescence or reflective nature of the paper, the presence of infrared ink or the presence and type of metallic threads in the bill.
Clearly, there is a need for automatic apparatus to perform these functions. However, to be commercially successful, such apparatus must be first capable of recognizing which side (front or back) of the bill is being scanned and the orientation of the scanned side, that is, whether the scanned side is right side up or upside down, before the scanned information can be processed. It must be able to identify the denomination of the bill, in any of the four ways in which it is received, and to sort the bills by side and orientation, or by denomination, in addition to identifying and separating any bills that are counterfeit.
In order to accurately perform bill authentication, the apparatus must have multiple counterfeit detection abilities. Bills must be scanned to check for the presence of magnetic particles in the printed ink, the fluorescent and reflective nature of the paper, the use of infrared ink on the bill and to check for the presence and type of metallic threads in the paper.
The apparatus must also be able to read the serial number of the bill and convert the image into Optical Character Recognition digits which can be printed or stored electronically. It must be able to stack the sorted bills in pre-selected quantities. It must also be able to separate old type (pre-1996) bills from new type bills (after 1996).
The bill sorter of the present invention is capable of performing all of these functions in a high speed manner. This requires that the movement of the bills through the apparatus be closely tracked and that the transport system be accurately controlled. Further, it requires that the sorter be capable of processing the information scanned from the bills at a very high speed.
It is, therefore, a prime object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter which utilizes parallel data processors.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a fully automated bill sorter which scans, authenticates, counts and sorts bills in an efficient, accurate and high speed manner.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter with parallel data processors that includes a plurality of tracking sensors located along the transport path and a digitally controlled bill transport system in which bills are monitored as they move through the apparatus and jams are detected, if same occur.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter with parallel data processors which can process bills on either side, whether oriented right side up or upside down.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter with parallel data processors capable of identifying the scanned side and orientation of the bills, and sorting the bills according to the side and orientation.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter with parallel data processors capable of sorting bills by denomination.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter with parallel data processors capable of scanning the serial number of the bill and converting the image into Optical Character Recognition digits that can be printed or stored electronically.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter with parallel data processors capable of sorting bills into batches of pre-selected quantities.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter with parallel data processors having multiple counterfeit detection capabilities.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter with parallel data processors capable of checking for magnetic particles in the print ink, checking for the presence of fluorescent and reflective properties in the paper, checking for the presence of infrared ink and checking for the presence and type of metallic threads in the bill.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed bill sorter with parallel data processors capable of scanning and recording an optical image of the bill.
2. Description of Related Art
Not Applicable
In accordance with the present invention, a bill sorting apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes means for receiving a bill. Means are provided for scanning each bill and for generating data signals which are a function of the information scanned. Multiple bill collection bins are provided. Transport means moves the bills, one at a time, along a transport path from the receiving means, through the scanning means, into one of the bill collection bins. Means are provided for digitizing the data signals. Means are provided for routing the digitized signals to one of the parallel data processors. Means control the transport means to move each bill into a collection bin selected in accordance with the output of the data processor receiving the digitized signals.
Preferably, the routing means alternately routes the digitized signals to the data processors. Thus, as digitized signals from one bill are being processed by one data processor, the digitized signals from the next bill are being routed to the other data processor for processing. This greatly increases the speed at which the sorter can operate.
The data signals are generated in an analog format. The digitizing means converts the data signals into a 32-bit digital format.
Each collection bin has an associated gate. The control means actuates the gate associated with the selected collection bin.
A plurality of bill tracking sensors are provided. The control means is connected to the bill tracking sensors.
The bill receiving means includes a hopper, picker means, prefeed means, and separator means. The picker means includes a picker roller with a surface which abuts the bills in the hopper as the picker roller rotates. The picker roller surface has a section with a raised surface portion. The raised surface portion of the picker roller covers approximately 10% of the picker roller surface.
The prefeed means includes a prefeed roller with a surface which abuts the bills in the hopper as the prefeed roller rotates. The prefeed roller surface has a section with a rubber element. The rubber element is adapted to engage the first bill in the hopper and move the engaged bill into the separator means. The rubber surface section covers approximately 25% of the prefeed roller surface.
The separator means includes a feed roller and a stripper roller, spaced apart by a gap through which the bill passes. Means are provided for driving the feed roller to rotate in one direction. Means are provided for preventing the stripper roller from rotating the opposite direction. The drive means also powers the picker roller and the prefeed roller. Means are provided for adjusting the gap between the feed roller and stripper roller.
The scanning means includes UV sensor means, magnetic sensor means, optical scanner means, infrared sensor means and metal thread sensor means.
The transport means includes first and second sensor transport belts. The first sensor transport belt extends passed the UV sensor means and the magnetic sensor means. The second sensor transport belt extends passed the infrared sensor means and metal thread sensor means. The optical scanner is located between the first and second sensor belts.
The transport means also includes a main transport belt. The main transport belt cooperates with the first and second sensor transport belts to move the bills passed the scanning means.
The gates are situated along the main transport belt. The gates divert bills from the main transport belt into the associated collection bin, when actuated by the control circuit. Each collection bin includes a stacker wheel and a pocket to retain bills. Means are provided for driving the stacker wheels.
The main transport belt includes a first transport section which passes through the scanning means, a second transport section which passes along the collection bins and means for connecting the first and the second transport sections. The connecting means includes a turnaround roller situated between the first transport section of the main transport belt and the second transport section of the main transport belt, around which the main transport belt extends. A turnaround belt is situated adjacent and cooperates with the turnaround roller.
The control means is operably connected to receive output signals from the data processors. The control means selects the collection bin in accordance with the output signals from the data processors.
A plurality of tracking sensors are located along the transport path. The tracking sensors are connected to the control means.
The transport means includes a motor which drives the main transport belt, a stacker drive motor associated with the collection bin stacker wheels and a feeder drive motor associated with the bill receiving means. The control means controls the speed of each of these motors.
Display means are operably connected to the data processors. The display means displays information scanned from the bill.
The digitizing means includes data signal amplification means, analog-to-digital converter means and buffer means. The buffer means is connected to the router means. First and second input/output interface means are operably interposed between the router means and the data processors.
The optical scanning means preferably takes the form of a CCD array scanner. The scanner reads and records an optical image of the bill surface. The scanner generates a data signal which is a function of the scanned image.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, bill sorting apparatus is provided including means for receiving a plurality of bills, means for scanning each bill and for generating data signals in accordance with the scanned information. Bill collection means are provided including a plurality of bill collection bins. Means process the data signals and select a collection bin in accordance therewith. Transport means move the bills, one at a time, along a first transport path section from the receiving means, through the scanning means to a second transport path section along the bill collection means and into the selected bin. The transport path sections are substantially parallel to each other.
Turnaround means are operably interposed between the first and second transport path sections. The transport means includes a main transport belt. The turnaround means includes a roller around which the main transport belt extends and a secondary belt situated proximate the roller.
Means are provided for driving the main transport belt. Control means regulate the driving means.
Bill tracking sensors are located along first transport path section. The bill tracking sensors are operably connected to the control means. Bill tracking sensors are also located along the second transport path section and are operably connected to the control means.